Bobbin winder



Feb. 7, 1956 I AYRES 2,733,867

BOBBIN WINDER Filed May 12, 1954 IN VEN TOR. M44001 A Ayes.

2,733,861 BOBBIN WINDER Waldemar A. Ayres, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to White Sewing Machine Corporation, Lakewood, Ohio, a cor- .poration of Delaware Application May 12, 1954, Serial No. 429,317 Claims. (Cl. 242-22) This invention relates to bobbin winders for sewing machines, and more particularly to a type of bobbin winder which automatically stops itself when fully wound such that the continued attention of an operator is not required once the bobbin winding operation is started.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved bobbin winder of the class described which will be of the simplest design and which will contain a minimum of parts.

It isv a further object of the invention to provide a small and compact unit which will not extend appreciably beyond its supporting structure, such as the head of a sewing machine, and which will not contain projecting portions which interfere with the movements of an operator.

.It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a device of the class described which utilizes a frictional drive connection between the bobbin and its drivingspindle or shaft, and which also uses frictional braking means to engage the wound material on the bobbin when it reaches a predetermined diameter and whose braking torque will exceed that of the frictional drive connection and so stop the winding rotation of the bobbin, fit is a still further object of this invention toutilize two frictional braking elements to engage portions of the bobbin which are substantially 180 degrees apart, such that the thrust exerted by the revolving bobbin on one element will be substantially equal and opposite to that exerted on the other element and such that the structure. containing the elements will not be forced out of engagement with the revolving bobbin. Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description. f, .In-the accompanying drawing forming apart ofthis specification like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; ';Fig.' Z is a sectional view taken along the lines 2-2 as shown inFig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged exploded view show ing partly in section and partly in elevation the engaging portion of the driving shaft and the friction driving connection carried thereby and a bobbin ready to be inserted upon said portion of the shaft to be driven thereby. V In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates a spindle rotatably supported in a housing 11 and having a cantilevered end portion for receiving a bobbin 12. The housing 11 may be a sewing machine head and the spindle or shaft 10 may be continuously rotated by the mechanism of the machine in any well known manner. The bobbin comprises a hub portion 13 having a smooth interior cylindrical surface '14 having flanges 15 at either end for confining thread aiid 'the likewound upon the bobbin. Theinvention forming the subject matter of this appli- 7 2,733,867 Fea ts Fab 9 E 2 cation consists in part of frictional driving means com prising a pivoted arm or detent 16 positioned withina groove or slot 17 milled into the cantilevered portion" of the spindle. The side surfaces of the detent fit'snu'gly against the sides of the milled groove sofas to prevent; wobbling of 'thedetent' in the groove, and the detentfis' held in place as by a pivot pin 18 inserted through the" shaft and through one end of the detent. The detent is forced outwardly as by means of a spring 20 posi' tionedbetween the bottom of the groove and the bot: tom of the detent such that "the detent will always en gage the inside 14 of the hub of a bobbininstalled upon the spindle. This springing action coupled with any centrifugal force of the detent produced by'rotation of the spindle forces thedetent against the insideof the hub sufiiciently to establish a driving frictionalen gagement between the spindle and the hub. It is to be noted that the bobbin is driven by means ofthisjfrie tional engagement alone and not by means of a keying action between the spindle and bobbin. Assuch, this frictional engagement may be accomplished by all types of sizes and shapes of detents, springs and the like, all of which are to be considered the equivalent of the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, 'l

According to the principles of the present invention, the driving frictional engagement between the spindle and the bobbin is to be opposed by a braking frictional engagement which" overcomes the former when a predetermined amount of material is wound upon the bobbin; The embodiment shown inthe drawings utilizes a plate 7 having a pair of horizontalfingers or elements Sl and 32 adapted to exten'dbetween theflanges lS'of the bobbin and engage the wound'material on the bobbin when its diameter substantially equals'the vertical spacing of the fingers.

The braking structure can be formed as by removal of a central rectangular portion adjacent one end of a plate so as to leave top and bottom projections Whose corresponds to that of the desired friction elements: The upper and lower edges of the plate containing these'pro jections can then be'bent perpendicularly tothe main body ofthe plate to establish the desired horizontal relationship of the elements. I The frictional structure thus formed can be slidingly attached to the sewing" machine or. like housing for movement into and out of its braking positionby means of bolts 33 extending through a slot 34 formed along the longitudinal centerline of the plate 30. Ajsuitable projection 35 on the housing positions the braking structure relative to the bobbin and; an enlarged shank portion 36 on eachbolt slidingly engages the edges 37 of the slot to firmly guide the friction elements into'and out of their braking 'posi tion between the flanges of the bobbin., To'facilitate' moving thisstructure, a handle 38 is provided as by benjding the left-hand edge of the plate into a substantially perpendicular position. Operation of the device consists of inserting the bobbin 12 onto the spindle 10, tying the material'to be wound onto the bobbin, sliding the brakingstructure into engagement with thebobbin and starting, rotation of the' spindle. .The operator of the inachin'eto which this device, is coupled need not further concern'himself with the winding'operation until such time as he desires to remove the bobbin. As the material becomes wound upon 'the bobbin, its diameter steadily increases until such time as it engages the braking elements ,31and 32; During the initial contact of the'material with theelements-sufiicient force is not produced to counteract that- By continued rotation that of the drivin'g en'gage'ment;

bin 12 stops rotating and the shaft with its detent continues vto revolve inside of the hub ofgth e bobbin 7 elemen 32 reading re Since tlief friction el ments are equally s acted ofiop' te' sides of the centerlineof t h''sp'ifidle t eseferces re substantially equal and so biififeiac't anteater with the result thatthe braking sjttuefiire 3'6 dire-s net relative to the revolving ljQthe'i; modifib'atio'ris' wnr s'jii'ggestf themselves to those sliiiledjin the an, Onesiicnjmodineatien' would be to e friiitib ai driving" sli r 'facs between the Side of I firited oh the spindie 'nd' the side of a bobbin yreltrabry retained upei'r thespindle. A Split shaft whose arse sng' est its *tho'se vmgntebenent of the above disclosure. All such 'r'nodificat'ionsfall within the conterrier n of' tli'e preseiit invention and" are to be regh the bobbin v'vin'dirignevtc'e r the present iiiy e r'ii idhli'as been iunstrat'eu and described herein to a detailed eiiteiit it Will'be nnuersteeaor cojurse, that the fiiibiitibfiis"iiotto beregar e as being limited cot-re; s pon'ding y in scope,butineludesallchanges and modifi 'Ha'ving inns des'efibe'd my'invennon, r darn-1: TIA eebnnrwinaer" for a sewing me structure comprising, a spindle mounted by said structure and a'dapte'dto be r'otatejdby the sewing machine mechanism m pert abobbir'i"; rheansfor establishing.frictional g gerrier'it between said spindle and a bobbin riteu eatneren;anameans suppenee by saldstructur'e as blishihg braking frictional engagementwiththe matew undupor'ise'id'bbbbiu whereby sufiicient braking 'ped' t'o ofiset and exceed" the driving the bobbins T rotation; I 'for a se ilig machine structure blfipr firig, a" s ndl nio'unt'e 'by's'aid' stru'c ture and otat'ed byftlie' s ewiiig machine mechanism 5 bbbbih'j means for establishing filoenga em b ween saia spin'dle and a rat eon; and raking rncnenai engage- 4 g pdr'tio'ris ofrn'atirial wound on (T1 '1 sufficient: brakingifriction is de'- and to support a bobbin; means for establishing frictional driving" engagement between said spindleandabobbin mounted thereon; and a plurality of flat blade-like projections suitably held by said structure for positioning between the flanges of said bobbin whereby sufficient braking torque is developed between material wound on said bobbin and said blade-likeprojections to offset the driving torque produced by said first means and thereby stop rotation of the bobbin;

5; Abobbin winder for a-- sewing: machine'str-ueture' comprising, a spindle mounted by said structure and adapted to be rotated by the sewing machine mechanism and to support a bobbin; means for establ' hing frictional driving engagement between said spindle and a bobbin mounted thereon; and abraking structure suitably mounted on said structure and having a pair of flat V wound on the bobbin reaches a predetermined diameter.

6. A bobbin winder for a sewing machine structure comprising, a spindle mounted by" said structure and adapted tob'erot'ated by thesewing lnachine rnechanism ar'idto support a bobbin; a detent suitably afiixe'dto said spindle for engagement with the inside cylindrical surface of abobbin installed on said spindle; means for maintaining engagement between saiddetent and said bobbin; and? a pair of flat blade-like projections suit'ably held by said structure for positioning between the fianges'jof the bobbin, whereby the torque produced by the frictional engagement between the material wound on the bobbin and its frictional engagement means substantially overcome's that between the bobbin and its detent to stop rotation of the bobbin when the material wound on the bobbin reaches a" predetermined diair'ieter.

7. A bobbin winder for a sewing machine structure comprising, a spindle mounted by said structure and adapted to be rotat'edby the sewing machine mechanism and to support a bobbin; a detent suitably aifixed to said s'pindle fo rengagement with the inside cylindrical surface of a bobbin installed on said spindle; means for maintaining engagement between said detent and said bbbbin; and a braking structure suitably irioufnted on said structure and hav'ing a pair of fiat blade like projec'ti'ons substantially parallel to each other for poitioning between the flanges of said bobbin and engagingpTdr tio'us' of the wound material on the bobbin which are substantially l80'deg'reesa'par't from each other, wnereey the torque produced bythe'frictional engagement Between are materiarwmma on the bobbin and its friction engagement means substantially overcomes that between the bobbin and its detent to stop rotation of the bobbin when the material wound on the bobbin reaches" a pretjbrq e is developed between material weund on said resen ed said blade' lilte projection to onsetnie driving torqueproduced, by said first means andthereby stop rotation ofthebobbin. V

4'2- A- bobbin; winden for: a sewing maehinel structure .eon'iprising a; spindle mounted' by said; structure and adapted? toberotated by the sewing-machine mechanism 8-; A bobbin winder for a sewing machine structure comprising; a spindle mounted by said structure" and adaptedto be rotated by the sewing'imachifie mechanism and as support a bobbin; a detent" suitably amento said spindle for enga ement with the inside cylifidiical s'iirfaee of a bobbin installed on said spindle; spring meanstor' yieldably urging said detent against said' bobbin; and a braking structure suitably mounted onsaid structure and having a pair of flat blade-like projections substantially parallel to eachother tor positioning between-the-flanges of said bobbinand engaging portions ofthewourid-material on the bobbin which-are substan, tially 1-80 degrees apart from each other, whereby; the torque produced by the frictional engagement between the; material wound on the bobbin and its: frictionahengagement means substantially overcomes that between the bobbin and its detent to stop rotation of the bobbin when the material wound on the bobbin reaches a predetermined diameter.

9. A bobbin winder for a sewing machine structure comprising, a spindle rotatably supported by said structure and having a portion projecting externally of said structure; a longitudinal groove in the projecting portion of said spindle; a detent mounted in said groove and adapted to yieldably bear against the inside cylindrical surface of a bobbin mounted on said shaft; a plate-like member having projections adapted to be inserted between the flanges of a bobbin mounted on said shaft, said platelike member being slidably mounted on said structure in a manner so as to be capable of being moved from an inoperative position in which said projections are free of the bobbin to an operative position where the projections are between the flanges of the bobbin; .and frictional means for holding said plate-like member in either of its two positions.

10. A bobbin winder for a sewing machine structure comprising, a spindle rotatably supported by said structure and having a portion projecting externally of said structure; a longitudinal groove in the projecting portion I of said spindle; a detent pivotally mounted in said groove;

a spring mounted between said detent and the bottom of said groove and adapted to force said detent against the inside cylindrical surface of a bobbin mounted on said shaft; 21 plate-like member having a pair of substantially parallel projections adapted to be slid into an operative position between the flanges of a bobbin mounted on said shaft; a longitudinal slot in said plate-like member substantially parallel to said projections; and a pair of fasteners in said slot attaching said plate-like member to said sewing machine structure in a manner permitting the member to be slid between said operative position and an inoperative position wherein said projections are free from engagement with said bobbin, said fasteners frictionally retaining said member in either of its two positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 18,072 Larkin Aug. 25, 1857 2,255,152 Colegrove Sept. 9, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 638,685 Great Britain June 14, 1950 994,739 France Aug. 8, 1951 

